That's Fit

How much you eat is just as important as what you eat, says the man narrating this Cleveland Clinic video. True. I'm thinking cashews right now -- good for me but not if I throw them back mindlessly.

Ah, portion control. A wise concept. Not always easy to manage, though. Back to the video -- it's a great one for helping to visualize appropriate serving sizes, like the following.

A serving size of cheese is equal to four dice. A baked potato: the size of a computer mouse. Meat, the palm of your hand. Peanut butter, the tip of your thumb. Veggies -- think one fist. Starches and fruits -- half a fist or a cupped hand.

Want a actual look at these suggestions. Click here. In a mere four minutes, you'll be educated on serving sizes, portion control, and you'll walk away with a few great tips for slimming down on snacking -- hint: don't eat from the bag, serve up a small portion in a bowl.

I don't know about you but I've never worried more about health issues than I do now that I'm a mom. My own health concerns cause me some worry but my kids' health issues -- they really cause me some worry. I remember freaking out the day my oldest child went to the doctor as a toddler and his pediatrician spotted blood in his urine. I wouldn't have been so bonkers about it all had the doctor not told me it could be a sign of kidney disease. It wasn't. But for a few days, I was sure my baby would face a life-threatening disease. I felt the same way when my youngest guy was sent through the tube of an MRI because trouble with his eye raised a brain tumor red flag. No tumor was found.

So I've established that I'm a worrier. Makes sense to me then to minimize as much worry as possible -- hey, worry isn't good for my health -- by taking appropriate action in the interest of my kids' health whenever possible. There are so many areas out of my control -- like kidney problems and brain tumors -- but for the areas I can influence, by golly, I'm going to take charge.

I'll be brief here -- believe me, I could go on and on -- but these are some of the health duties for which I've charged myself when it comes to the two little boys whose lives are in my hands: Feeding them well, making sure they exercise well, taking them to recommended well doctor visits, taking them for occasional sick doctor visits, ensuring their vaccinations are up to date, making sure they brush, floss, and see a dentist twice a year, keeping all household medications out of reach, teaching proper hand-washing and hygiene habits, slathering them with sunscreen, harnessing them in proper car safety seats, keeping our windows and doors locked at all times, even when we're home, and watching them at all times when they play at a park or in the front of our house -- our backyard is fenced and secure.

Does your kid have an internal locus of control? If so, it's a good thing because kids who have one by age 10 are less likely to be overweight at age 30. They also grow up to be healthier adults and are less likely to describe their health as poor or show high levels of psychological stress. Despite childhood IQ, education, and family income, these tendencies remain.

A locus of control is the extent to which people think they can influence events through their own actions. Each of us has one. It's a natural component of a person's personality and is shaped by childhood experiences and interaction with parents. Those who are shaped to believe they are in charge of their lives have an "internal" locus of control. Those who are not have an "external" locus.

"I think it is quite probable that a major explanation why children with a more internal locus of control behave more healthily as adults is that they have greater confidence in their ability to influence outcomes through their own actions," says Dr. Catharine R. Gale, of the University of Southampton in the UK. They may also have higher self-esteem, which can encourage healthy habits.

Is there anything more frustrating than making a real effort to lose a certain amount of weight before a big event, like a wedding or class reunion, only to come up short when the big day rolls around? But you're out of time -- what can you do? Let me tell you -- the right clothes can make all the difference.

You've probably heard of Spanx and Assets, which are great. Hey, if it's good enough for celebrities on the red carpet, it's good enough for me. However, a new line of clothing has come out, and it has what you need built right in -- ShapeFX.

ShapeFX has all kinds of slimming items designed to "make the body you have look like the body you want." They offer shaper pieces to wear underneath (they even have Shaper Shorts with a Butt Lifter!), but they also have dresses, pants, tops ... pretty much anything you would ever want to wear. And every piece has uses at least one of three approaches to slimming you down and hiding flaws: control, fabrication, and design.

It's clear what kinds of foods are bad for us. Anything loaded with sugar, trans fats, and sodium for starters. But do you know what kinds of foods are bad for pets? Think human foods, not pet foods.

It's best to stick with pet foods for the nourishment of your beloved pup. But it's tempting to treat your furry friend to a little table food now and then. And that's what many people do. In 2007, the ASPCA's Animal Poison Control Center received more than 130,000 calls regarding animal poisoning caused by common human foods and household items. Here are the top culprits.

• Avocados

• Beer

• Chocolate

• Candy

• Caffeine

• Grapes and raisins

• Nuts

• Onions

Boys need gym class. But girls need it more, according to the Centers for Disease Control.

It's clear following a survey of 5,000 students ranging from kindergarten to fifth grade that girls who got 70 to 300 minutes of physical education per week scored higher on standardized tests. Funny because gym classes are being increasingly scaled back to make room for academics and testing when if the exercise was instead more frequent, girls would do even better. They'd concentrate better too. And participate more in class. Not so true for the boys, though.

The CDC study found no correlation between gym class and test scores for boys, maybe because they play more actively and physically during recess and outside school.

OK, ladies, here are some tips for getting control of your girth. Men, don't tune out. These tips might work for you too.

• Tape It Up
• It's In The Jeans
• Hit The Floor
• Ditch The Elastic
• Eat Often

To get more information about how to incorporate each of these tips into your lifestyle, check out the gallery:

For another five tips -- hint: they involve plants, exercise, and portion sizes -- click here.

Do you know any impulse buyers? You know, those folks who just can't pass up purchasing something that strikes their fancy. Maybe you fit this category. I do. Sometimes. Well, if you buy on impulse, then you might eat on impulse too because both practices are securely rooted in the brain.

"The prefrontal cortex, just behind the forehead, helps control impulsivity," says Patrick Haggard, Ph.D., professor of psychology at the University College London. "People who act more spontaneously often have less activity in this area."

There may not be anything you can do about the impulses that drive your behavior but becoming aware of this tendency can help you control the impulses that might get you into trouble.

Want tips for cutting back on impulse buying? Click here. How about impulse eating? Click here.

Just in time for the holiday feasts that await us, Discovery Health offers this brief video clip with a few tips for the season -- and for everyday weight control too.

One: Never enter a food environment hungry, especially at holiday time.

Two: When preparing dishes, be sure to include plenty of fruits and vegetables as appetizers, side dishes, and desserts.

Three: Get rid of left-overs. Send your guests home with your extra goodies. They'll appreciate the kind gesture, and you'll appreciate the saved calories and bonus space in your fridge.

What quick tips and tricks do you have for ensuring your holiday is a healthy one?

Bulimia nervosa, like anorexia nervosa, is an eating disorder that centers around control. One of the most common eating disorders, bulimia is characterized by consuming large amounts of food and then ridding the stomach of its contents by way of vomiting, over-exercising, or use of laxatives.

Eating to excess (called the "binge") is comforting to bulimics. But eating too much causes them to feel out of control. They also feel guilt, shame, and a fear of weight gain which causes them to "purge." This "binge and purge" cycle is extremely dangerous and can lead to serious and long-term health problems, like tooth decay, gum disease, loss of tooth enamel, osteoporosis, kidney damage, heart problems, and even death.

Because bulimia is harder to recognize than anorexia -- the symptoms are more subtle and bulimics are not always thin -- awareness is critical. Please consider these symptoms and physical effects of bulimia.

There is definitely a difference between good stress and bad stress, and the way that you handle the bad stress will often determine if you're happy, healthy and generally well-balanced or worried, depressed and edgy. Obviously we all handle the various stresses related to work and family life differently, but have you ever wondered just how well you deal with stress?

This quick quiz aims to give everyone an idea of their stress style, or how well they handle stressful situations. I scored an 18, which puts me at the bottom of the 'Control Freak' category. Apparently, my fellow control freaks and I find that the best way to deal with stress is to do whatever we can to control the situation. Those with the lowest scores are labeled "Cool Cats", and are possible the best at dealing with stress as they take things in stride and make plans to deal with demands.

Finally, there's the "Nervous Nelly" who manages stressful situations by finding distractions. When something comes up, nervous nelly's will often deal by going for a run, eating, upping their caffeine consumption and getting tense. If you'd like more information on each of the stress styles, as well as ideas on how to better deal with stress based on your type, take the quiz here.

FitSpirit explores the mind-body connection and the intangible benefits we gain from our efforts to stay physically fit.

Sometimes I worry a bit much. Apparently, I'm not alone. Almost 40 percent of us worry every day, a habit that compromises our minds, our bodies, our spirits. Worrying is simply bad for our health. And we really need to cut it out. HealthyUpdates.com lists four steps we can take to minimize worry.

Step One: Make Worrying Matter

If we must worry, we should worry about productive matters only. Forget the weather. We have no control over that. But we do have control over matters involving a vacation, for example. Productive worry is asking yourself, "Do have a map?" or "Do I have a car reserved?" It's productive because you can take action on these items. Since it's relaxing to make progress on something tangible, this is the type of worry you want.

Step Two: Embrace Novelty

We worriers tend to avoid trying new things because it makes us uncomfortable. But a little discomfort is just what we need. Challenging our comfort zones will eventually help us rely less on worry as a coping strategy.

Step Three: Reframe

Try to reframe situations until you see them as positive opportunities. If you're stressed about moving, think about what you'll gain from the experience, not what you might lose.

Step Four: Wait it Out

Remember: Most emotions are temporary. Tell yourself your worries will not overwhelm you or last a really long time. Because realistically, they won't.

Scientists are finding more and more evidence to indicate there may be more than family history, genetic mutations, and bad luck at play when it comes to who gets cancer and who doesn't. Now, more than ever, we are learning that cancer may have less to do with chance and more to do with lifestyle. That's why many of us -- me included -- jump on the health bandwagon, clinging to the hope that a good diet and a good amount of exercise will keep cancer at bay.

Breast cancer survivor and writer PJ Hamel offers on My Breast Cancer Network 10 recommendations related to breast cancer and nutrition. They cover everything from antioxidants to soy to fat to fiber. Check out the whole list here. And then take a peek at this -- a recipe for cookies Hamel developed using each of the 10 tips she provides. She calls them her Take-10 Cookies.

For more from Hamel -- she blogs about all sorts of cancer and health-related topics -- point and click your mouse right here.

I love this new news: So-called bad carbohydrates, breads and pastas, are not so bad. I understand this is merely the opinion of one man who did a study -- another study may demonstrate just the opposite -- but in the face of confusing nutrition information, I like to side with the point of view that most suits my desires. And I desire to not worry about carbs. So this is the perspective I'm backing.

University of Virginia professor Glenn Gaesser says eating bad carbs will not make you fat. "It's just nonsense," he says.

Eating sandwiches with white bread isn't going to kill you, says Gaessar. It won't lead to obesity either. It might even help you lose weight.

Studies that track the injuries of runners found those who got hurt most were the ones with the weakest cores. That's why strong cores are key if running is your exercise of choice.

This just scratches the surface of what I learned Tuesday night at a free seminar aimed at prepping Gainesville marathoners for a 26.2 mile jaunt in February. Three more workshops will follow. Before I attend the final trio, though, I'm trying to process the nuggets of knowledge thrown my way during the hour I spent with a few fitness experts and a room full of practicing runners. Here's a mini rundown on what I learned:

• The core -- made up of the butt, belly, back, and side butt -- is the body's engine block. It's like the hub of a bicycle wheel. If that hub were made of tin foil with strong spokes all around it, it would be crushed. Same goes for the core. It doesn't matter how strong our arms and legs are. If our core is weak, our body cannot endure sports like running.